How a Bill Become a Law

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How a Bill Become a Law

• By Matthew Opperman

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Rationale This Lesson is designed to teach and
reinforce the law making process. It is important
for students to learn this information in order
to take a active role in government. The purpose
is to introduce the law making process and the
steps that are taken before a bill becomes a law.
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Goal

• To help students grasp the ideas the make up the
  law making process.
• Demonstrate knowledge of each the steps in the
  law making process.

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Objectives

• Recognize and understand the different steps that
  need to be taken before a bill becomes a law.
• Explain the importance of each step and be able
  to put the different steps in order of
  occurrence.
• Understand the debating and tedious process that
  goes in to making a law.
• Demonstrate competency by working in cooperative
  groups to create their interpretations of a
  proposed bill.

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Three Branches of Government

• The Executive Branch/ President, Governor
• The Legislative Branch/ Congress, Law Making
• The Judicial Branch/ Supreme Court, Judges

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Houses of Congress

• House of Representatives
• Number per State
• Based on States Population
• Coincides with Electoral College Votes

• United States Senate
• Two per State
• No Matter What the Population
• 100 Senators

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How a Bill is Introduced

• Introduced to Committee
• Bill Sponsored by Representative or Senator

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Bill Sent to Committee

• Chair of Committee Appointed
• Bill is Revised until Committee is Satisfied
• Once Bill is Agreed Upon Sent to Floor of Senate
  or House.

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Bill on the Floor

• The Bill Must be Passed by a Majority Vote in
  Both Houses
• If a Majority Vote is not Achieved the Bill is
  Sent Back to Committee in House of Origin
• The Bill can also Die on the Floor

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Presidents Options

• He can Sign the Bill and it Then Becomes Law.
• He can Veto the Bill
• He can Let the Bill Sit on his Desk for Ten Days
  the Bill then Becomes Law.

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U.S. Constitution Section 7 Article 2
Every bill which shall have passed the House of
Representatives and the Senate, shall before it
becomes a Law, be presented to the President of
the United States if he approves he shall sign
it, but if not he shall return it, with his
Objections to that house in which it shall have
originated, who shall enter the Objections at
large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider
it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of
that House shall agree to Pass the Bill, it shall
be sent, together with the Objections to the
other House, by which it shall likewise be
reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of
that House, it shall become law.
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U.S. Constitution (continued)Section 7 Article 2
But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses
shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the
Names of the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered on the Journal of each
House respectively. If any Bill shall not be
returned by the President within ten days(
Sundays excepted) after it shall have been
presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in
like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the
Congress by their Adjournment prevents its
Return, in which case it shall not be a Law.  
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Vetoed Bills

• Congress can Override a Presidential Veto
• 2/3rds Vote is Needed in Both Houses to Override
  the Veto.

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Pocket Veto

• President can the bill sit for ten days while
  Congress is not In Session.
• The Bill then dies.

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Related Web Sites

• www.whitehouse.gov
• www.uscongress.gov
• www.ussenate.gov

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The End

• Always Take a Active Role in Government.